Supporting Manta Trust by adopting a manta ray will help them continue vital conservation work. Choose one of their manta rays on the right hand side to adopt and you can expect to receive:
- A bio of your adopted manta ray.
- A Fact File – learn about the biology and ecology of manta rays.
- A personalised Adoption Certificate.
- A digital poster of your adopted manta – ideal for desktop / smart phone backgrounds, or to print out to hang on the wall.
- A Kids Activity Pack – containing several games and activities. Includes a crossword, spot the difference, ID the manta, and more!
- A personalised message card – write a short message in an e-card if the adoption is a gift.
About Manta Trust
Manta Trust is a UK registered charity that co-ordinates global mobulid (manta and devil rays) research and conservation. Manta Trust’s team is comprised of a diverse group of researchers, scientists, conservationists, educators and media experts. The Trusts mission is to conserve mobulid rays, their relatives, and their habitats, through a combination of research, education and collaboration.
There are two critical threats that mobulid rays face. Firstly they are heavily sought after for use in Asian Medicine. Secondly, they are unintentionally being killed as ‘bycatch’ by fisheries targeting other species.
Manta Trust works with NGO’s to bring about legislation to protect mobulids from the Asian medicinal trade. An important aspect of the work Manta Trust does is to provide the tools and training governments need to apply the legislation.
Mantas and devil rays are killed in their thousands, as victims of bycatch. Destructive fishing techniques unintentionally catch and kill vast numbers of some of our ocean’s most endangered species. Accurate data on the number of mobulids caught as bycatch is hard to come by. This is an important challenge that the Manta Trust seek to address, as decisions and solutions cannot be formed without the numbers to quantify the threat.
Why supporting Manta Trust makes sense
- Supporting the Manta Trust helps them carry out long-term scientific studies. This research is in turn shared with governments, NGO’s and conservationists so that they can make decisions about marine conservation.
- With a network of over 20 projects worldwide, the Manta Trust specialise in collaborating with multiple parties to drive conservation as a collective; from businesses and governments, to individuals and local communities.
- The Manta Trust sees manta rays as a flagship species, helping to motivate and engage people with the wider message of marine ecosystem conservation. The Trusts digital adoption packs make for brilliant eco gifts – an opportunity to learn about these majestic sea creatures, whilst supporting global efforts to research and protect them.
Manta Trust’s Big Moments
Here are a few key moments in Manta Trust’s history.
- 2011 – Formed as a UK registered charity
- 2011 – IUCN Red List classifies both species of manta as “Vulnerable”. The Manta Trust contributed critical data and expertise to assist with the classification.
- 2014 – The Trust helped gain national protection for mantas in Indonesia. The same protection was granted by Peru in 2016, and Thailand in 2018, again with the Trusts assistance.
- 2015 – A Marine Education Programme is established in the Maldives, working with schools and local communities.
- 2017 – Initiative launched to support and increase sustainable manta tourism. The campaign aimed to educate tourists and operators about “How to Swim with Manta Rays”.
- 2017 – Published world’s first book on manta rays. ‘MANTA Secret Life of Devil Rays’ combines ground-breaking photography with the latest scientific research from the Trust’s projects around the globe.
- 2018 – Published the “Guide to the Manta and Devil Rays of the World” field guide.
- 2018 – Created a Global Strategy & Action Plan which outlines what actions need to be taken to ensure the long-term survival of mobulid rays.
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